Return-pipe connection for hot-water tanks



A. R. WATSON. RETURN PIPE CONNECTION FOR HOT WATER TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-28,1921.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

@OOQGQOQOOQQQ QOQOQOOOGQQQ UNITED STATES PATENT RETURN-PIPE CONNECTIONFOR HOT-WATER TANKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 19.22.

Application filed December 28, 1921. Serial No. 525,465.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALFRED RICHARD Warsorz, a subject of the King of England, and resident of Yewlands, Foreland Road, Bembridge, Isle of ight, Hampshire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Return-Pipe Connections for HotlVater Tanks, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a device or apparatus adapted to be fitted to the return pipe of hot water tanks and is designed to provide means whereby a larger volume than is usual of hot water is retained at the top of the tank, and is therefore available for use, and a smaller proportion of the cooler water is returned to the boiler.

Briefly, the invention consists of a device adapted to be fitted in the tank and to ex tend from the bottom thereof to near the top with an inlet at the top and another near the bottom the construction being such that hot water descending from the top of the tank through the upper inlet will have a suction, or ejector action on the cooler water nearer the bottom and draw it into the device to the return pipe.

The invention can be carried out in various forms, one of the most suitable being that which comprises three concentric tubes spaced apart the central one being shorter than the others and open at the top and the outermost open at the bottom whilst the. central tube is fixed to the return pipe. The two annular spaces at the top between the three tubes is closed and suitable openings are made in the inner tube near the top thereof and communicating from one annular space to other.

In practice the flow of hot water down the inner tube from the top thereof acts as an injector or suction manner on the water between the two inner tubes drawing it down to the return pipe and because the water between these two tubes can only be replaced by water through the said openings it follows that water from the bottom of the tank is drawn up between the outer tubes, through the openings, and, mixing with the hot water, is returned to the boiler.

The lower end of the intermediate tube is preferably reduced for fixing to the return pipe.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows the device or apparatus in vertical section and of the concentric jtube kind above described. i

Fig. 2 shows the'same device fitted to an ordinary hot water tank the latter figure showing the device on a much smaller scale than it is seen in Figure 1.

Figs. 3, 4t and 5 illustrate, diagrammatically other forms which my invention may take.

The example illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises three tubes a, Z) and 0 between which are annular water spaces 6 and f, both of which are closed by a ring-cap (Z which also serves to hold the upper ends of the tubes. Openings are made at g in the tube 6 and the lower end of this tube is fitted to a connector 7 with a water space at 2' leading to the annular space 7 and through openings 9 to the space e and therefrom to the inside of the lower part of the tube 6 and thus through connector 7t and back to the boiler.

In Fig. 2 the tank 1 is of ordinary construction and has flow and return pipes 2 and 3 as well as draw-off pipe 4. When the apparatus is in use and the boiler is heated hot water will return down the central tube as indicated by short arrows at the top thereof, colder water will be drawn down the space 6 by the down flow of hot water in tube a and will be replaced by water from the bottom of the tank as shown by the long arrows and thus, instead of the circuit of water from the pipe 2 be ing to a large extent direct through the body of the water, as is usual in a hot water tank, the return is from the top of the tank more or less direct from the pipe 2 but augmented by the inflow of cold water at i from the bottom of the tank. It will be obvious therefore that whilst the flow of cold water from the bottom of the tank to the return pipe is continued it is much reduced in volume and the water at the top ofthe tank which is drawn off at 4 is much hotter than would be the case if the usual circulation existed.

In Fig. 3, the form shown comprises inner member Z and outer member m with openings n from one member to the other. The member 111. has a depending tube 0 above the outlet 10 of the inner member which is to be attached to the return pipe. These two members could be separately formed and placed one on the other.

In Fig. i a construction substantially like half that shown in F 3 is seen and cornprises inlet r-s for the cooler Water which mixes with the hotter Water in the part 9' and is drawn therewith through part 25 to the return pipe.

In F ig. 5, a'tube it supports a side tube o having. a downwardly directed nozzle; or elbow w inside the tube a. o The flow of the cooler Water in Figs. .3, t and 5 is shown by long arrows whilst the hot Water is shown by the shorter arrows. The operation will be clear to all skilled inthe art.

What I claim. is

l." A device adapted to be litted in a hot Water tank and connected to the return pipe thereof in which aninlet is provided atthe top of the device and another inlet near the bottom so that Water flowing down- Wardly from the higher inlet towards the return pipe will have a suction effect on the inletnear-the bottom.

2. A device adapted to be connected inside a hot Water tank to the return pipe thereof comprising three concentric tubes spaced apart and having the spaces between them at one end closedbut With openings in the intermediate tube communicating from one 

